United States House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

Last updated
House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
Standing committee
Active
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United States House of Representatives
119th Congress
History
FormedJanuary 3, 1959
Leadership
Chair Brian Babin (R)
Since January 13, 2025
Ranking member Zoe Lofgren (D)
Since January 3, 2023
Structure
Seats40
Political partiesMajority (22)
  •   Republican (22)
Minority (18)
Jurisdiction
Oversight authority NASA, NSF, NIST, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
Website
science.house.gov (Republican)
democrats-science.house.gov (Democratic)

    The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. It has jurisdiction over non-defense federal scientific research and development. More specifically, the committee has complete jurisdiction over the following federal agencies: NASA, NSF, NIST, and the OSTP. The committee also has authority over R&D activities at the Department of Energy, the EPA, FAA, NOAA, the DOT, the NWS, the DHS and the U.S. Fire Administration. [1]

    Contents

    History

    In the wake of the Soviet Sputnik program in the late 1950s, Congress created the Select Committee on Astronautics and Space Exploration on 5 March 1958, chaired by majority leader John William McCormack. This select committee drafted the National Aeronautics and Space Act that created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). A staff report of the committee, the Space Handbook: Astronautics and its Applications, provided non-technical information about spaceflight to U.S. policy makers. [2]

    The committee also chartered the permanent House Committee on Science and Astronautics, which officially began on January 3, 1959, and was the first new standing committee established in the House since 1946. The name was changed in 1974 to the House Committee on Science and Technology. The name was changed again in 1987 to the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. After the Republican Party gained a majority in Congress in 1994, the name of the committee was changed to the House Committee on Science. With the return of control to the Democrats in 2007, the committee's name was changed back to the House Committee on Science and Technology.

    During the 112th Congress, which was in session from 2011–2013, committee chair Ralph Hall added "Space" back into the committee's name: "The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology" – a nod to the committee's history, broad jurisdiction, and the importance of space exploration in maintaining American innovation and competitiveness. [3]

    Members, 119th Congress

    MajorityMinority

    Resolutions electing members: H.Res. 13 (Chair), H.Res. 14 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 42 (R), H.Res. 44 (D), H.Res. 430 (Foster)

    Subcommittees

    SubcommitteeChair [4] Ranking Member [5]
    Energy Randy Weber (R-TX) Deborah Ross (D-NC)
    Environment Scott Franklin (R-FL) Gabe Amo (D-RI)
    Investigations and Oversight Rich McCormick (R-GA) Emilia Sykes (D-OH)
    Research and Technology Jay Obernolte (R-CA) Haley Stevens (D-MI)
    Space and Aeronautics Mike Haridopolos (R-FL) Valerie Foushee (D-NC)

    Committee leadership

    Chairs and ranking members are listed below. [6] [3] [7]

    Chairs
    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    John McCormack Democratic MA19581959
    Overton Brooks Democratic LA19591961
    George Miller Democratic CA19611973
    Olin Teague Democratic TX19731978
    Don Fuqua Democratic FL19791987
    Robert Roe Democratic NJ19871991
    George Brown Democratic CA19911995
    Bob Walker Republican PA19951997
    Jim Sensenbrenner Republican WI19972001
    Sherwood Boehlert Republican NY20012007
    Bart Gordon Democratic TN20072011
    Ralph Hall Republican TX20112013
    Lamar Smith Republican TX20132019
    Eddie Bernice Johnson Democratic TX20192023
    Frank Lucas Republican OK20232025
    Brian Babin Republican TX2025present
    Ranking members
    NamePartyStateStartEnd
    Joe Martin Republican MA19581967
    James Fulton Republican PA19671973
    Charles Mosher Republican OH19731977
    John Wydler Republican NY19771981
    Larry Winn Republican KY19811985
    Manuel Luján Republican NM19851989
    Bob Walker Republican PA19891995
    George Brown Democratic CA19951999
    Ralph Hall Democratic TX19992003
    Bart Gordon Democratic TN20032007
    Ralph Hall Republican TX20072011
    Eddie Bernice Johnson Democratic TX20112019
    Frank Lucas Republican OK20192023
    Zoe Lofgren Democratic CA2023present

    Historical membership rosters

    118th Congress

    MajorityMinority

    Resolutions electing members: H.Res. 14 (Chair), H.Res. 15 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 80 (R), H.Res. 87 (D), H.Res. 164 (D), H.Res. 179 (R), H.Res. 205 (D), H.Res. 931 (D)

    Subcommittees
    SubcommitteeChair [8] Ranking Member [9]
    Energy Brandon Williams (R-NY) Jamaal Bowman (D-NY)
    Environment Max Miller (R-OH) Deborah Ross (D-NC)
    Investigations and Oversight Mike Collins (R-GA) Valerie Foushee (D-NC)
    Research and Technology Jay Obernolte (R-CA) Haley Stevens (D-MI)
    Space and Aeronautics Brian Babin (R-TX) Eric Sorensen (D-IL)

    117th Congress

    MajorityMinority

    Resolutions electing members: H.Res. 9 (Chair), H.Res. 10 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 62 (D), H.Res. 63 (R), H.Res. 111 (D), H.Res. 475 (D), H.Res. 602 (R), H.Res. 826 (R)

    Subcommittees
    SubcommitteeChair [11] Ranking Member [12]
    Energy Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) Randy Weber (R-TX)
    Environment Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) Stephanie Bice (R-OK)
    Investigations and Oversight Bill Foster (D-IL) Jay Obernolte (R-CA)
    Research and Technology Haley Stevens (D-MI) Mike Waltz (R-FL)
    Space and Aeronautics Don Beyer (D-VA) Brian Babin (R-TX)

    116th Congress

    MajorityMinority

    Sources: H.Res. 24 (Chair), H.Res. 25 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 67 (D), H.Res. 68 (R), H.Res. 73 (D), H.Res. 264 (R), H.Res. 516 (R), H.Res. 596 (R), H.Res. 712 (D), H.Res. 1037 (R)

    Subcommittees

    There were five subcommittees in the 116th Congress. [10]

    SubcommitteeChairRanking Member
    Energy Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) Randy Weber (R-TX)
    Environment Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) Roger Marshall (R-KS)
    Investigations and Oversight Bill Foster (D-IL) Ralph Norman (R-SC)
    Research and Technology Haley Stevens (D-MI) Jim Baird (R-IN)
    Space and Aeronautics Don Beyer (D-VA) Brian Babin (R-TX)

    115th Congress

    Majority [13] Minority [14]

    See also

    References

    1. "History and Jurisdiction". House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
    2. "Space Handbook: Astronautics and its Applications". NASA.
    3. 1 2 "A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY" (PDF). United States Government. November 7, 2007.
    4. "Chairman Babin Announces SST Subcommittee Rosters and Leadership". House Committee on Science Space & Technology. January 30, 2025.
    5. "Science Committee Democrats Organize and Announce Subcommittee Ranking Members". U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, & Technology. February 5, 2025.
    6. "A History of the Committee on Science and Technology" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2025-03-03.
    7. "Toward the endless frontier : History of the Committee on Science and Technology, 1959-79". 1980.
    8. "Lucas Announces Subcommittee Rosters and Leadership". House Committee on Science Space & Tech - Republicans. 2023-02-09. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
    9. "Ranking Member Lofgren Announces Organization of Science Committee Democrats | House Committee on Science, Space and Technology". democrats-science.house.gov. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
    10. 1 2 "House Committee on Science, Space and Technology Subcommittees". House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
    11. HOUSE SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS ORGANIZES FOR THE 117TH CONGRESS
    12. Lucas Announces Republican Science Committee Leaders
    13. H.Res. 6, H.Res. 51
    14. H.Res. 7, H.Res. 45, H.Res. 52, H.Res. 95